Lockdown at U.S. Capitol Lifted Following Earlier Gunshots

The lockdown put in place at the U.S. Capitol Building following gunfire in the Capitol Visitors Center earlier this afternoon has been lifted. The U.S. Capitol Police has confirmed that a 66-year-old Tennessee man entered the security area in the visitors center, and after setting off the alarm in a metal detector, he drew a gun. A police officer responded immediately by shooting the man. The man was then taken to the hospital, according to D.C. police officials, where he is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. A female bystander was injured from shrapnel during the shooting. No other injuries were reported. During a press conference, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa said, "We believe this is an act of a single person who has frequented the Capitol grounds before, and there is no reason to believe this is anything more than a criminal act." CNN has reported that the suspect in today's incident was arrested last October on a charge of assaulting a police officer after an outburst in the chamber of the House of Representatives during which he proclaimed that he was "a prophet of God." The D.C. Police Department tweeted shortly after the gunfire reports that this

The lockdown put in place at the U.S. Capitol Building following gunfire in the Capitol Visitors Center earlier this afternoon has been lifted. The U.S. Capitol Police has confirmed that a 66-year-old Tennessee man entered the security area in the visitors center, and after setting off the alarm in a metal detector, he drew a gun. A police officer responded immediately by shooting the man.

The man was then taken to the hospital, according to D.C. police officials, where he is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. A female bystander was injured from shrapnel during the shooting. No other injuries were reported.

During a press conference, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa said, "We believe this is an act of a single person who has frequented the Capitol grounds before, and there is no reason to believe this is anything more than a criminal act."

CNN has reported that the suspect in today's incident was arrested last October on a charge of assaulting a police officer after an outburst in the chamber of the House of Representatives during which he proclaimed that he was "a prophet of God."

The D.C. Police Department tweeted shortly after the gunfire reports that this was an isolated incident, and that there was no active threat to the public.

This incident occurs in a city that is on high alert following the recent terror attacks in Brussels, and during a week when D.C. is full of tourists enjoying the blooming Cherry Blossoms. Fortunately, any further violence was averted in the capital city of a country that has become all too accustomed to scenes of mass shootings. Back in February, we shared how 8 survivors of mass shootings are fighting to keep everyone safer: Read their stories here.